The 318th vs. 498th Compass Rose “Northstar” Tail Flash Saga [by Ernie White (Updated by Pat McGee)]
There has been a lot of talk over the years about the 318th FIS Compass Rose aka Northstar tail flash and whether it was ever also on 498th jets after moving to McChord. Initially many believed that during the time the 498th was co-located with the 318th FIS at McChord they had no tail flash. As such, any F-106 found with either an early version or later version of the 318th style tail flash, was in fact a 318th jet. This does not seem to be the case. During the transition from Geiger Field to McChord AFB, the 498th swapped out their "1957" model F-106 jets with the 456th FIS, gaining a majority of "1959" models. This was accomplished to ensure the 325th FW, the host wing at McChord AFB, had a more common fleet to assist in maintenance, training, and etc. After things "settled" down following the move, the fleet was, once again, (slightly) reshuffled with the 318th and 498th, swapping tails [aircraft] between the squadrons with a majority of the ex 456 FIS fleet being assigned to the 498 FIS. With this transition, some of the jets with the 318th Compass Rose tail flash ended up serving with the 498th, and some of the "new" Sixes served with the 318th. I would consider the tail flash one that was approved for both F-106 units as a Wing tail flash, although haven't seen the design used for the 325th’s T-33's. During this time, the 325 FW ‘shield’ was applied to the left side of the aircraft (replacing the 318ths Green Dragon emblem on their jets). I would consider this another indication that the Compass Rose was truly a Wing tail flash during this era. From what I understand, no squadron insignias were applied to any McChord jets, except for the Sixes from the 318th that participated in William Tell. They were the only F-106's that wore squadron emblems during that period.
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*Osan Korea 1968 318 FIS
34 photos
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560464 Crash
1964 Capt Huss
51 photos
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590144 Crash
1978 Capt Miller
14 photos
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Six Shooter and Osan Korea Footage
- 2470519 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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570234 Damage from Arresting Cable
- 248208 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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570234 590051 318th Alaska July 1963
- 18996 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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590152 Lightning Strike May 71
- 13042 visits
, Rating: 2.84
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 12200 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 9605 visits
, Rating: 3.63
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8938 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8934 visits
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560466 590057 590141 1968 318th
- 8721 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 8674 visits
, Rating: 3.04
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8209 visits
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8105 visits
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590058 318th Osan 1968
- 8066 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7843 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7770 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7708 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7623 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7599 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7537 visits
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590151
- 7408 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7403 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7358 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7267 visits
, Rating: 3.47
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7265 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7259 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7240 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7205 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7158 visits
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560457 Load Team (3)
- 7117 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7084 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7078 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7027 visits
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590059 318th Osan 1968
- 7019 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7003 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6855 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6685 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6475 visits
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Osan Korea 318th
- 6431 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6394 visits
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560457 Load Team (0)
- 6305 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6122 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6028 visits
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560457 Load Team (4)
- 5780 visits
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560457 Load Team (1)
- 5568 visits
, Rating: 4.51
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560457 Load Team (5)
- 5519 visits
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560457 Load Team (2)
- 5164 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 4622 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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560457 Genie Shot
- 4473 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 4398 visits
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590144 AB Takeoff
- 4382 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4350 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4229 visits
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590022
- 4021 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (3)
- 3997 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (2)
- 3931 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 590151 (4)
- 3910 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3907 visits
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590144 1Crash 1978 -1
- 3902 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (1)
- 3875 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Flight Out 580774
- 3842 visits
, Rating: 3.33
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 3761 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3726 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3717 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3694 visits
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560457 590110
- 3604 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 194th Arrives
- 3602 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Take-Off 580774 580783
- 3537 visits
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580776 Mirmar 1977 Engine Removal
- 3536 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3510 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3494 visits
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3420 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3397 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3370 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3364 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3331 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3315 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3305 visits
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Backseat Selfie
- 3285 visits
, Rating: 4.62
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3274 visits
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Patch 318th Patch Shoulder Pilot/Ops
- 3249 visits
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